Psalm 23:4b
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Today is Day 6 of our meditations about the Good Shepherd, the Shepherd of Psalm 23. Each day we will prayerfully read through the entire psalm, each day focusing on a particular verse or set of phrases. Take this as an opportunity to fully memorize this psalm, viewing it not simply as something which children memorize, but as an invitation to draw near and know the Shepherd personally and experientially, rather than simply intellectually.
Here we see that with living the life filled with the compassion, power, sufficient provision of the Shepherd frees us from fear. He is with us! He uses His rod and staff to defend us, meaning that we can take comfort from the full assurance of His faithful care for us.
Shepherds of ancient times lived a mobile lifestyle, carrying only the barest necessities. They covered long distances on foot, usually for days on end. No shepherd would be out in the wilderness without his rod and staff.
According to shepherds, sheep truly are stupid and stubborn. Our being called “sheep,” is truly not a fuzzy description to make us feel good about ourselves. The description should rather humble us. How amazing that King David, having been a shepherd, then after having conquered his enemies, would humbly call himself a sheep!
Sheep are completely defenseless. The relationship between sheep and shepherd requires absolute total dependence. The sheep need the shepherd to lead them to what they need, because they are simply unable to make the right choice of food or of water. Sheep depend upon humans to trim their wool which otherwise becomes a hindrance. Sheep cannot even get themselves up off the ground were one to fall and get caught on its back. Sheep must depend upon the shepherd for food, water, leadership, guidance.
In comparison, people are absolutely the same–absolutely helpless. If they could completely provide for themselves, they would foolishly believe that they were the ones who had provided for themselves the food, water, leadership, guidance, or had successfully defended themselves against predators and enemies. How much do I operate as independent of the shepherd?
For Each Study, we will be going through six steps:
Relax and Refocus
Read
Reflect
Respond
Rest
Trying it on
Relax and Refocus
As you pull aside from all the responsibilities, the many cares, the overwhelming burdens of your day, remember that the Lord loves you and He cares about the matters which weigh you down. He cares for you!
Find a spot where you can sit comfortably, away from other distractions as much as possible. Are you thirsty? Even if you are not aware of being so, you may be even a bit dehydrated. Support yourself in being able to be calm and focus by rehydrating. Drink some water with a pinch of sea salt or electrolyte water. After my water, I love to start my day with a cup of matcha.
John 10 reads, 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a [b]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
What is the character of the divine shepherd? The false shepherd? The wolf?
The enemies of Jesus may seek after His sheep, some being outright wolves, while others being predatory wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Pause and Pray
Thank you, Yahweh, that I can approach you with our everyday concerns and complexities of life. What a mercy that you do not pull away from me when I approach you, as if I were someone to be despised! I am such a helpless sheep. What a mercy that you do not find me to be an interruption or that my concerns are unworthy of your attention. What an amazing thought to consider that you love us, you continue to give us life, know my name! I seek you! Please show me all the more of who you are, so that I may worship and love you all the more deeply. Amen.
Read
Psalm 23
1 Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing, (for with Him I have everything that I need.)
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still water.
3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever
Notes:
Rod
The rod was a long, slender stick with a knob on one end. Each shepherd boy would carve the tool suitable for his size and strength, perfectly shaped to fit exactly into his hand. Knowing that this piece of equipment was critical for his own defense and that of the sheep, he knew that he needed to be able to use it as an extension of his own body. He would practice and hone his skills to use this weapon with accuracy and speed.
In all serious situations the rod was to be a safeguard for both himself and his flock. The rod was also critical to manage wandering and wayward sheep.
Rod protects the sheep from getting to close to the edge, from eating or drinking something poisonous, or some other danger
Staff
A sheep can follow its nose and find a few mouthfuls of grass, yet in the process get its thick wool tangled in brambles or thorns. The sheep is unable to extricate itself, completely entangled by its bitter host. Apart from the shepherd’s intervention, the sheep cannot be freed.
So many of our trials are simply self-induced. We follow our own noses, not seeking to follow the Shepherd’s direction. Yet our Good Shepherd mercifully rescues us. He desires to keep the sheep close to himself, watching out, providing, protecting, always the trustworthy, divine shepherd. (See Matthew 18: 12- 14) He knows, better than we do, that:
Suffering can come from seeking strength anywhere other than in Yahweh, for false gods will oppress.
Reflect
As you read these verses aloud to yourself, what word or phrase particularly stands out to you? What is the Spirit drawing your attention towards at this moment?
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Write out your thoughts, your questions which you want to share with Yahweh.
Pause and Pray
Questions to guide you in pondering the passage.
*What comes to your mind when you hear the words “Your rod and staff, they comfort me”? What is your emotional response to these words? What associations do you have with “rod and staff?” I always used to think of how the shepherd would use the curved end of the staff to pull the wayward sheep away from danger and the rod to redirect the sheep from a dangerous path. I failed to realize that these tools were also used by the shepherd to protect and defend the sheep.
1 Samuel 17: 33 – 37 documents the testimony of a well trained shepherd: Before becoming a king, David was a shepherd. When considering his skill for challenging a powerful giant, he recalled how the Lord had delivered him from the lion and bear, empowered him to strike them, when they attempted to steal a lamb from his flock. A good sand faithful shepherd will not draw back from danger, but rather will defend and protect the sheep.
*When you think about what Jesus has done for us, what all comes to mind?
Jesus, my Shepherd, has defeated the ultimate enemy, and He will continue protect and defend me.
Comfort because the ultimate foe has already been defeated! The Evil One no longer has any power over us
Not only has Jesus defeated the final enemy, He has also “cured” us from “the disease” of fear.
“I will fear no evil, and not even the Evil One himself. You are with me!
Your rod and your staff—what you use to rule and govern and protect your flock—they provide comfort
We are comforted by
His complete authority over all things in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28: 18)
His power: He participated with the Father in Creation ( John 1: 1-3)
His absolute sovereignty (Isaiah 45: 5-7)
His never failing love (Exodus 34: 6-7, Romans 8:31-38)
Reviewing the psalm, interjecting thoughts from Dallas Willard’s book “Life Without Lack”
1 Yahweh is my shepherd,
I am in the care of someone else. I’m not in charge, for I have surrendered my kingdom to His.
I lack nothing, for with Him I have everything that I need.
As Jesus said, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
A satisfied sheep will not remain standing, but rather will stretch out to rest.
He leads me beside still water. He is my living water, so I no longer thirst.
3 He restores my soul;
He takes the broken depths of my soul, the fragments of my being and reintegrates them.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
I have a new nature, so I walk on new paths.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;
My trust in my Shepherd runs so deep that in walking with Him, I no longer fear. A live a life without lack carries no fear of evil. Even as Jesus said, “Fear not, little flock!” Luke 12:32
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
I am under the Shepherd’s strength and protecting care, so I have no fear. In Him I find my complete sufficiency.
Respond
Are you unsure as to how to express your burden to the Lord? You can find comfort through the Word of God. We can ask Yahweh, through His Spirit to pierce the fog of our deepest desires and motivations. He already knows our hearts, yet we do not usually recognize the anxious thoughts, because they are so much a part of how we interpret our world. Can we see the hurtful patterns that we have? Not necessarily. Yet like all sheep, we do need leading in the paths of life.
From another of David’s prayers:
Search me, O God, and know my heart
Try me, and know my anxious thoughts
And see if there is any hurtful way in me
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 139: 23- 24
Rest
We now see that our shepherd is with us, defending us against those who would harm us, as well as addressing ways that we may be harming ourselves.
Perhaps experiencing a significant change in our lives is part of the Shepherd taking action against the hurtful pattern that we have? Or simply revealing our “sheeplike” heart to us, so that we will walk in another life path?
Remind yourself as to who He is: the One who made you, chose you, calls you “beloved,” and laid down His life for you so that you would be able to stand blameless in the presence of His glory with great joy! As He laid down His life to make you His child, He will bring you safely through the valley of the shadow.
Trying It On
How do we view suffering? Do we see ourselves alone, abandoned in the almost claustrophobic producing narrow space, whether physical or emotionally suffocating? Or are we willing to have our hearts changed to greater faith and submission, not based upon what we see with our own wisdom, but based upon the authority of Yahweh’s word to us?
As you speak this psalm to your soul as you go to sleep at night, consider the ways that He used His rod and staff to comfort you. Thank Him for His kindness and compassion towards you in your “sheepness.” He is the one who leads in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake, for His glory. Ask Him where you are perhaps tempted to step off the path, and ask Him to bring you back sooner than later, so that He does not need to use His firmer hand upon you. Remind Him of who He is as your shepherd, as you meditate upon verses 1-2.
Shalom